The Harm of Ego

This is a record of an interview with Lai Tiancheng, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his past lives and his time serving as a jailer in the underworld. This interview was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fa, on June 30, 2024.

Lai Tiancheng speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am so incredibly grateful that I can be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss! This is such a rare and precious opportunity! I have truly come to understand how bitter the cycle of being reincarnated is, and how difficult it is for a being to escape it. I will certainly seize this opportunity with all my heart. I am deeply grateful to Namo Amituofo, and I am deeply grateful to Practitioner Su for her boundless compassion. On behalf of all the jailers and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, I bow in gratitude for the Buddha's grace and for the grace of Practitioner Su. Namo Amituofo."

The Bitter Cycle of Samsara

"Throughout the long, arduous journey of samsara, we often do not realise that we need to change. We mistakenly persist in the spaces we believe to be our own, clinging to our views until we are forced to endure experience after experience, suffering through pain after pain, until we finally wake up and realise that we must escape. I am Lai Tiancheng. I came from a past of arrogant character, where I held myself in such high regard. It was only after experiencing so much profound suffering that I finally woke up. I am so thankful that I still had the chance to awaken.

Recalling the various experiences of my past lives, my heart is filled with endless emotion. Although I have now obtained a human body and have the opportunity to practise again, the memories of my past lives are as vivid as if they happened only yesterday. They are impossible to forget."

The Arrogance of a Learned Practitioner

"In one of my past lives, I was a practitioner who was well-versed in the sutras and treatises, and I was quite skilled in my practice. In a small, picturesque village, I built a temple. Many followers came to admire my reputation and listen to me give lectures. Every day, I would recite the sutras, meditate, and discuss the Buddha’s teachings with the followers. My days were pure and fulfilling.

Years later, my fame grew even more prominent, and the number of followers increased. A sense of pride and self-confidence began to grow within my heart. I even felt that I had reached a certain level of attainment that far exceeded that of ordinary people. One day, a ragged, poor man came to the temple and asked to speak with me. Although he lived in poverty, his words revealed a profound Wisdom (Prajna). He raised some insights about practice and hoped to discuss them with me. However, because of his low status, I looked down upon him. I thought to myself, 'He is nothing but an ignorant ordinary person; how could he possibly compare to a high-level practitioner like me?'

The poor man saw that I was unwilling to listen to him, so he said to me, 'Practitioner, you may have a deep understanding of the Buddha’s teachings, but if your heart is filled with arrogance, it is like pouring muddy water into clear water. No matter how clear the water was, it will become unbearably turbid.' I heard this, but I did not agree. I thought, 'He is just a poor man; how could he possibly understand my level of attainment?'

The poor man saw that I still refused to accept his advice, so he sat down in front of the temple gate to meditate and recite the sutras. His sincerity and perseverance attracted the attention of many followers. The followers began to feel curious about him and came to interact with him. Gradually, the poor man's reputation spread throughout the village, and some followers even began to seek his guidance. Seeing this, I could not help but feel a bit jealous. I thought, 'A poor man, and yet he can attract so much attention? Is my practice really not as good as his?' Consequently, I practised even harder, hoping to prove my high level of attainment once again."

A Lesson from the Skies

"However, as time passed, my heart became increasingly restless. Whenever I closed my eyes to meditate, the image of that poor man reciting the sutras would always appear in my mind, along with his words: 'Practitioner, you may have a deep understanding of the Buddha’s teachings, but if your heart is filled with arrogance, it is like pouring muddy water into clear water.' This sentence was like a sharp sword piercing my heart. I began to reflect on my behaviour, only to find that I could no longer shake off that arrogant and attached state of mind. Even though I had achieved significant success in my practice, I could never find true peace within.

One day, while meditating, I suddenly felt restless, as if some invisible force was pulling at my spirit. I closed my eyes, trying hard to calm the waves in my heart, but I could not find the peace of the past. At that moment, I finally understood that my practice had long since deviated from the righteous path and had fallen into the trap of self-righteousness. When the poor man came to the temple again and saw my haggard appearance, he said, 'Practitioner, your suffering stems from your arrogance and attachment. Only by letting go of these can you find true liberation.' When I heard these words, I felt relieved, as if a huge stone had been lifted from my heart.

But this realisation came too late; I had already missed countless opportunities to change my ways. In the end, I spent that life in arrogance and attachment, failing to achieve true success. When I passed away, my spirit, filled with deep regret, sank into a dark abyss, waiting for the next cycle of being reincarnated. When I woke up again, I was no longer that high-and-mighty practitioner, but a wise old eagle. In this life, I possessed a pair of sharp eyes, capable of seeing prey from thousands of miles away, along with keen reflexes and a strong body. I always circled high in the sky, overlooking the earth, full of confidence and control. As an eagle, I soared in the sky, enjoying that sense of freedom and power. I could keenly capture every subtle movement on the ground and react quickly, holding my prey firmly in my talons. This feeling of controlling everything made me feel incredibly proud and satisfied.

However, even the smartest eagle is bound to make a mistake one day. That day, I was searching for prey in the sky when I suddenly saw a wounded deer on the ground—one of my favourite types of prey. I swooped down without hesitation, not knowing that the area around the deer was already filled with hunters' traps. As I lunged, I felt a sudden tightening under my feet, and a huge net instantly covered me. I struggled with all my might, but I could not break free. The hunter quickly arrived and struck me heavily until I was covered in blood and unable to move. Just as I was on the verge of death, a clear voice suddenly reached my ears. The voice was gentle and compassionate, as if it penetrated my spirit: 'Let go of your persistence, and you will discover a bright future.' This sentence had a huge impact on my heart. I suddenly realised that I had repeated the mistakes of my past life, still so stubborn and arrogant. At that moment, I finally let go of the attachments in my heart, and my spirit was released. Although this eagle body eventually lost its life, my spirit achieved a breakthrough at that moment, and I understood what liberation was."

The Path to True Liberation

"In my next life, I finally obtained a human body again, and this time my name was Lai Tiancheng. Carrying the memories and lessons of my previous two lives, I understood the mission I carried. It was not only to correct my own mistakes but also to use my Wisdom (Prajna) to help others so they would not repeat my mistakes. From a young age, I was diligent and eager to learn, reading extensively and seeking inner peace and Wisdom (Prajna) in the Buddha’s teachings. I practised meditation and recited the sutras, gradually understanding the true meaning of life, and I was determined to spread this Wisdom (Prajna) to more people. In this process, I encountered many difficulties and challenges. Sometimes, I would meet people who were lost and stubborn; they were like I once was, trapped in the quagmire of self-righteousness, unable to extricate themselves. I did not get discouraged, because I knew that everyone has their own karmic affinity and laws of karma and cause and effect. All I could do was to guide them as much as I could and help them.

Once, in a small village, I met an old farmer. He was full of sorrow and told me that his family had suffered continuous disasters, leaving him exhausted and almost unable to carry on. I listened, and I could not help but feel empathy. I told him about my past life experiences and taught him how to resolve the afflictions in his heart through the Buddha’s teachings. 'Life is like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, or a shadow. Only by seeing through it can you transcend it,' I told him. 'Your suffering is merely the manifestation of the laws of karma and cause and effect of past lives. If you can treat it with a normal heart, you can find true liberation.' The old farmer listened to my words and seemed to have some insight. He began to recite the sutras and practise every day. Gradually, his state of mind became much more peaceful, and even when facing difficulties, he could face them with a calm heart.

As time passed, my reputation spread again, and many people came to listen to my lectures. I always remembered the lessons of my previous two lives. No matter how much praise and respect I received, I remained humble in my heart, always alert to the arrogance within me. In the process of teaching my disciples, I not only imparted the Wisdom (Prajna) of the Buddha’s teachings but also used my own experiences to warn them not to repeat my mistakes. Whenever I saw them achieve success because of my guidance, my heart was filled with infinite comfort. There was a young woman named Xiaomei who lost her parents at a young age and lived a difficult life. She once lost confidence in life, feeling that her fate was just so unfortunate. By chance, she heard my lecture, so she came to me, hoping to get some guidance. I told her, 'Xiaomei, although fate is unpredictable, we can change it through our own efforts. The Buddha’s teachings teach us to look at everything with Wisdom (Prajna). Only a strong heart can truly overcome all difficulties.' Under my guidance, Xiaomei began to practise and gradually found hope in life. She not only found a job but also began to help those who were as distressed as she was, using her own experiences to encourage them. Seeing her changes, I felt deeply comforted and my faith became even firmer."

Gratitude for the Buddha's Compassion

"Looking back at my three lives of reincarnation, I deeply feel the impermanence of fate and the mystery of the laws of karma and cause and effect. From that arrogant practitioner to the proud eagle, and then to the current Lai Tiancheng, I finally understood that true Wisdom (Prajna) does not lie in the amount of knowledge, but in whether one can let go of the attachments in one's heart and truly understand and tolerate everything. In this journey of life full of challenges and difficulties, I am no longer a lonely traveller, but a mentor willing to use my Wisdom (Prajna) to illuminate the path for others. I know that the road ahead is still long, but as long as there is light in the heart, one can continue to move forward. Life is like a play, and every scene is an arrangement of fate. No matter what I experience, I am willing to use a compassionate heart to meet every challenge and help everyone who needs help.

When I left the human world again, I came before the King of Hell. I knew that this was also an experience of being reincarnated. When I heard the King of Hell's assessment of me, my heart was quite calm because I knew that this was the truth of the cycle of birth and death, and that the laws of karma and cause and effect are truly not empty. In the end, the King of Hell gave me an opportunity to stay in the Underworld Palace to serve. I am very grateful for the compassionate heart of the King of Hell, and I have also made a vow to continue to work hard, hoping to help more sentient beings. In these days, I have learned a lot from the life experiences of sentient beings, and I know very clearly that I must wake up from being reincarnated. Because all of this is really just an illusion, I tell myself that I must work even harder.

I am very grateful that I have the blessings to hear Practitioner Su give Dharma talks; this is truly a magnificent causal condition that has completely changed my life. From the first time I heard the principles taught by Practitioner Su, I knew that the opportunity for me to change had arrived! Every principle taught by Practitioner Su makes me more awake, and I have also made a vow that I must achieve liberation. I am very grateful for all these causal conditions; every time is an opportunity for me to learn and grow, and I will continue to work hard. I am grateful for the opportunity to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss today. Lai Tiancheng, on behalf of all the jailers and all sentient beings with karmic affinity, bows in gratitude for the Buddha's grace and for the grace of Practitioner Su.

Namo Amituofo.

Lai Tiancheng, with palms joined."